HIV Prevalence Among Pregnant Women in Eight Provincial Capitals in Indonesia in 2003-2010

Abstract

This study has aims to determine the prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among pregnant women in the community and to estimate the number of babies born with HIV, using secondary data of 11.693 pregnant women from Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) program conducted the Pelita Ilmu Foundation during 2003-2010 in eight provincial capitals in Indonesia. The HIV diagnosis was based on  Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The HIV prevalence was calculated from those who participated in the post-test counseling. Mantel Haenszel Chi-square test was performed to see the trend. Of all pregnant women, 98% expressed their desire for HIV testing. The women, then, were given pre-test counseling. Of the pre-test counseled respondents, 95% were willing to do HIV test and of the HIV tested respondents 88% followed the post-test counseling to get the test result, and as much as 0.41% are HIV positive. HIV prevalence quite vary and there is an increasing trend from 2003 to 2009, from 0.36% in 2003-2006, rose to 0.52% in 2008, rose to 0.54% in 2009, then fell to 0.25% in 2010. An estimated 8.604 infants were born with HIV every year. However, if PMTCT program was implemented there will be 8.112 babies averted with HIV and will save around 42 billion rupiah per year. It is concluded that the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women in the community were still low and vary in five-time observations.  It is recommended that the government should implement a PMTCT program and integrated it with maternal & child health and family planning program